Today we held a Bilateral Market, a major event in our trip. The theme of this year's event was "Community Pride". The event was held at Tramdom Elementary School, where not only PRENGOs but also elementary school students and local residents opened stalls and gave stage performances to introduce their communities. The Bilateral Market has been held every year since its inception, but this year's event was on a larger scale.
PRENGO sold taiyaki (fish-shaped pancakes) originated in Tokyo and chirashi-zushi (sushi with rice cake) originated in Okayama, matcha latte originated in Kyoto and set up a booth where visitors could try wearing various patterns of yukata (light cotton kimono). At the same time, we offered a hojicha latte to those who collected all the stamps in the stamp rally! The latte was very tasty and popular among adults and children alike! The performances included kendo, a uniform runway, calligraphy, traditional Okinawan dances, soranbushi, and otemoyan giving visitors a chance to experience the traditions and culture of all of Japan!
Toward the end of the event, bamboo lanterns were lit with music in the middle of the venue, creating a very mystical atmosphere! The PRENGO side was also able to learn more about the Lamduan region through the children's purchases, traditional songs, dances, and instrumental performances. The biggest reason we were able to hold this Bilateral Market was due to the hard work of the PRENGO members in planning the event, and most importantly, to the people who allowed us to be here and supported us. We would like to carry out our activities always with a sense of gratitude in our hearts.
At the end of the event, local people tied a piece of string with a wish on it on each person's arm as a prayer for us! This was a valuable opportunity for us to interact with the local people! We would like to continue our efforts to build a good relationship with them! This was the end of the major events during our trip, but we will make use of our reflections to make things even better!
(2024/2/25)
Comments